# Color types - winter, autumn, spring, summer



## Catdeluxe (Mar 25, 2007)

How do you look upon the theory that only shades and colors that suit certain type, suit you best and if picked wrong they make you look boirng, sick,...?

According to this, I am very strong winter type. And it's true that bronzers don't suit my skin color at all, also any kind of copper and such shades.

What do you think about this theory - do you find it true or wrong on your own example?


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## StereoXGirl (Mar 25, 2007)

lol! I haven't heard anyone use the Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall thing for describing skintones in a long time!

I've literally had ladies at makeup counters arguing with each other whether I was a Spring or Fall. lol.

I wouldn't worry about it. Just wear whatever you like and whatever you think looks good on you.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## ms_sunlight (Mar 25, 2007)

I'm supposedly a Spring, which is supposedly the least common colour season. And it's true, the so-called Spring colours suit me well. We do well in warm brights!


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## SamanthaBNYC (Mar 25, 2007)

I'm a winter, too. The season color theory (it's from a book called "Color Me Beautiful" by Carol Jackson) is awesome. Everything in my closet looks great on me, because it's all winter colors.


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## Karen_B (Mar 25, 2007)

I look good in blue and cool greens, apparently I'm a summer? Or maybe it was spring, I can't remember.

Anyway, in spite of this, I wear clothes in red, black, white, purple... anything really, except for yellow and orange which makes me look like a corpse.

On my eyes, browns, greens and pinks look good I think. That's what I've tried so far anyway!


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## emily_3383 (Mar 25, 2007)

I remember this on I love the 80s, i need to check which season i am. lol


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## bmichlig (Mar 25, 2007)

Originally there were just 4 seasons

Winter - Cool and Clear

Spring - Warm and Clear

Summer - Cool and Muted

Autumn - Warm and Muted

Then someone expanded that into 12 categories that included hybrids and gradations of the "true" seasons. You can see this theory on http://www.colormeaseason.com .

I think there are (at least) three factors to consider:

Warm vs. Cool

Clear vs. Muted

High Contrast vs. Low Contrast

The contrast level comes from your own coloring - the degree of light to dark contrast between skin and hair color.

I talk about this quite alot over at the aromaleigh forum - you can find it there if you like  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

But I always maintain that generally we are drawn to colors that suit us or fill a need, and that we should wear what we like, since dresing and making up should primarily please ourselves and be a self expression of who we are, who we want to be and how we are feeling, or would like to feel. I really don't like absolutes - never wear red, avoid black near the face, grey makes you look unathoritative, whatever. I'm real big on personal expression.

And about that bronzer thing - I was in Target the other day looking at clearanced makeup. L'Oreal True Match liquid bronzers were clearanced, and they had warm, neutral and cool liquid bronzers. The warm ones were the peacy/coppery tones, the cool bronzers had almost a plum/rose cast to them and were super pretty. The neutral was pretty, too. So maybe it's not ALL bronzers are not right for you, just that the warm, orangey coppery toned ones that we usually see don't suit you.

Or it could just be that the high contrast between your skin and hair is more pleasing to you than deepening the skintone and lowering the contrast.

Again, the point isn't to always avoid bronzers, but rather to decide if you want a more muted look, and then search for a bronzer with those rosier tones so it harmonizes with your skin better.

just my .02.


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## summerxdreams (Mar 25, 2007)

STRIKING SPRING

apparantly thats me :]


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## yourleoqueen (Mar 25, 2007)

Co-sign. Even though I look best in Winter colors, I still wear summers browns and golds. I need vibrant color, muted colors don't work well on me.


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## ivette (Mar 25, 2007)

i'm a winter and find that most of the colors i like. others i don't care for

:iagree: with stereoxgirl

wear what you like


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## dcole710 (Mar 25, 2007)

supposedly i am a striking spring...


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## cynpat2000 (Mar 25, 2007)

This has always been confusing for me, according to the book with my strawberry blonde hair im either a fall or a spring. But evertime I go to cosmetics counters and get colortyped they say my skin is cool!! and warm toned makeup makes me look dead. and my hair isnt dyed, So I agree with stereogirl, wear what looks good and dont be too concerned with the seasons.


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## StereoXGirl (Mar 25, 2007)

lol! I have strawberry blonde hair and cool skin, too! Crazy...  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## magosienne (Mar 25, 2007)

:kopfkratz: i'm between summer and autumn. i don't really care, i just wear what i want and like.


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## bmichlig (Mar 25, 2007)

Ugh - the whole "if you have reddish hair you HAVE to be warm" thing just drives me nuts! LOTS of people with reddish tones to their hair have cool/pink undertone skin! As in all things, there are degrees of reddish tones ranging from cool plum to rosey pinky to orange to russet and brown.

For me the worst thing I ever read by a coor consultant was something to the effect that NOBODY should ever wear orange, because it makes the skin look pale. She went on to explain that this is why redheads always look pale - because red hair is really orangey, and it just sucks the life out of the skin. I had major probs with that because firstly I'm a redhed, so is my mom. I look pale because I AM pale. And I LOVE to wear orange tones, from burnt orange and saffron to hot intense coral and everything in between - just no pastel peach please. AND i always get compliments when I wear those colors.

DO NOT get super hung up on the whole seasonality thing. Also dont' feel that just 'cause your skintone has some yellow to it, that you need to wear ONLY yellow-based color cosmetics, or that if it has more pink to it, then ONLY tones with red in them. For the easiest harmony, sure those colors blend well. But beauty isn't always about blending well - sometimes contrast and drama is wanted, or even needed.

Play - where what you like!

-the always pale girl with orange hair


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## rodenbach (Mar 25, 2007)

I've been color printed by two different people. First time I was a Spring and the second an Autumn. I think I'm a Spring because most of the colors I wear that get compliments come from the Spring palette. Autumn greens and teals look great with my red hair and PPP skin.

Warm foundations and powders turn orange on me, so I need to wear cool, slightly pink foundations to avoid this. All other makeup looks best in warm colors like brown, peach, apricot, etc.... Something like gray e/s makes me look haggard.


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## Sprite7 (Mar 26, 2007)

It's funny...but I was going through some boxes of old books we have in our house, and I came across my mom's ancient copy of Colour Me Beautiful. I was flipping through it, and looking at the advise they give on colours. It was very amusing! I was wondering if people still pay attention to this or not.

I think it's good to know what colours just make you look fantastic...but I think if you know what you are doing, you can make almost any colour work for you. You might just need a different shade or tone. There are no rules in makeup. Every notice how they change constantly anyway? When I began training in makeup artistry, I started a list of all the rules about colours for different people. What shocked me was the inconsistencies out there. Every book I read, and every person I talked to, had something different to say. It was very overwhelming.

I say...try everything! If it looks good...then go for it! That's how trends get started anyway. You experiment and do something a little different from the rest, and people take notice.


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## SherryAnn (Mar 26, 2007)

This is confusing as all get-out for me! I look best in reds - all shades, especially the deep reds, deep pinks, and bright colors. I look the worst in orange, seafoam green, pastel yellow, and peach. I don't have any idea what shade I am but I just like color!


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## tadzio79 (Mar 26, 2007)

never heard of those before, lol!

I "think" I fall under the striking spring category, but I just use the colors I want.


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## Xexuxa (Mar 26, 2007)

This is so confusing! I just avoid corals and orangey reds. haha thats as far as I go.


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## Sleeptime (Mar 26, 2007)

I've always been confused by this. I thought I was a Summer/Autumm, but I think now that I'm a lot fairer, I might be a Spring/Winter. I don't quite know. All I know is that blues and forest greens look good on my eyes, so it sounds like my skin tone is a little 'cooler'.


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## CamaroChick (Mar 26, 2007)

I, too, find (and have always found) this incredibly confusing. I guess I'm a cross between Autumn and Winter.... It's really hard for me to figure out.


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## rejectstar (Mar 26, 2007)

I remember years ago a friend of my mother tried to type me as a season and she couldn't, haha. She pretty much just told me I could wear any colour and it would look fine... and so far I think she's right. But usually I stick to cooler and more definite colours in my clothes... like black and white, jewel tones, and earthy colours.

After reading some stuff for myself though, I'm pretty sure I'm Winter. Probably Winter mixed with Summer or Autumn I think. I agree, this stuff is really confusing, LOL.


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## Momo (Mar 26, 2007)

I think it's confusing because a lot of colors look good on me, and there's no info on neutral/beige/linen undertones and how to know if you are one. Most things I read about this contradict each other.


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## tinktink22 (Mar 26, 2007)

ive heard it all because i get pale really quick in the winter and reaaally tan in the summer. so i usually can splash on anything?!?!?


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## LadyDragonFire (Nov 25, 2010)

I don't know if this is going to be "helpful" or not, but I just thought I'd add this:

In David Zyla's book _The Color of Style_ he says that the _real_ way to figure out what color season you are is to closely examine all the colors found in the palm of your hand and identify what all or most of them are (he gives some suggestions in the book.) And then, especially, you have to identify your "best version of "red" that is found in the flushed skin of your fingertips and also often in the base of your palm. This is also the same version of red your ears turn when you are very cold or very hot. It's actually _that exact color_ that will dictate whether you _are_ in fact "warm" or "cool", and also whether you are a Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. If you read the book, he lists the exact hues (versions of red) that correspond to each color season.

I fully believe that this is most likely spot on accurate. The only drawback is that it _is_ obviously quite a chore to try and figure out precisely what colors the palm of your hand contains and then even more difficult to pinpoint exactly what version of red is found in your flushed skin.

  The "easiest" way of doing this (and what David Zyla recommends) is using paint chips and comparing the paint colors to your palm.

  By doing this I discovered that my palm _is_ in fact mostly really delicate versions of peach and apricot therefore I am WARM. I have still never been able to pinpoint my exact version of red lol! I also really can't tell if my flushed skin looks warm and mellow or a crisp, clear color. David Zyla says that all Springs turn a crisp, clear version of "red" when they are flushed and in Autumns it's a warm, mellow color. I'm terrible at discerning the chroma (dullness or clarity) of hues so this has left me baffled, lol! However, more than one professional color analyst has offered  their opinion that my eye color is more on the muted side so this supposedly means I'm an Autumn. Autumn seems more likely for me anyway since I'm brunette with dark hazel eyes. David Zyla actually categorizes some dark haired brunette women as Springs though, like Kristin Davis and Julia Roberts so that just makes finding your season even more confusing! lol!

  Anyway, it's a really good educational book in a lot of ways and I still like it. But you should know ahead of time that it doesn't offer any shortcut methods of finding your color season. However, it's still probably the most accurate way of determining what category you actually are.._if_ you can piece it together! LOL  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## jess!:) (Nov 25, 2010)

I don't know how to tell. D:


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## LadyDragonFire (Nov 25, 2010)

> Originally Posted by *jess!  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I don't know how to tell. D:



Yeah, it's really not an easy thing to do. As I said, you pretty much have to get some paint chips (Like from Benjamin Moore or Rona or somewhere like that) and compare the paint colors to your palm. I really like Benjamin Moore because they have the "sun" and "snowflake" symbols on their paint chips so you know if you're looking at a color with a warm golden or yellow undertone (they have a "sun") or a color with a cold blue undertone ("snowflake.")

I think their neutrals are labeled with triangle for some reason but I might be wrong. I know the colors in my palm are peach and apricot because I held up the Benjamin Moore paint chips in their peach family up to my palm and many of hem looked very similar to the colors in my hand, or had a "smoothing effect." A "smoothing effect" is when you hold the color up to your palm and you can see your whole hand at once. Holding up the wrong color will make the colors in your palm look like they are "breaking up." It's hard to describe better than that.

  Just try looking for paint chips that you think _might_ look sort of like your skin, especially on your palm. You might have to try a few before you get this right, I guess lol. When you hold it beside your palm you should be able to tell if it looks like the color of your skin or not.

  With finding your right version of red that looks like your flushed skin I don't have a lot of helpful hints except to try looking at paint chips again. Like I said, I find this difficult too lol!

BTW, these are the "versions" of red for all the seasons. Supposedly you should be able to find one of these in your flushed fingertip:

Spring:  (Crisp and Clear color) Barbie Doll Pink, cool dusty pink, carnation pink, peach, peach coral, light orange, creamsicle, apricot, clear warm red, bright cherry red, bright coral

Summer: (Cool and Relaxed Color) cool shell pink, rose pink, dusty rose, strawberry, raspberry, watermelon, geranium, fuchsia, burgundy, rusty burgundy, mulberry, claret, cranberry, maroon

Autumn: (Warm and Mellow Color) Coral pink, salmon, tangerine, deep apricot, burnt peach, flame, orange red, tomato, Chinese red, Christmas red, cayenne, terra-cotta, paprika, brick red, cinnamon, Indian red-brown, rust

Winter: (Rich and Contrasted color) Ballet pink, shocking pink, dusted fuchsia, magenta, poppy red, ruby red, fire engine red, crimson, scarlet, vermilion, blue red, cranberry, dark cherry, rusty brick, port


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